


Rush Hour

by Measured



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2014-07-30
Packaged: 2018-02-11 02:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2049870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry and Lucas travel together, and between lunches and inside jokes, something begins to grow between them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kinetic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alliterations](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alliterations/gifts).



> The first piece is in a different tense, because it was written with the intention of being a standalone. Later on I decided to continue the piece, which was all written for Melly at various times.

Barry is like a pinball whizzing through all the obstacles and flippers, except he jumped the course long ago. He's a roller coaster ride of a person, often carrying on multiple conversations at once. Most people can't keep up with his energy, but Lucas has had practice for all the years they've known each other. He knows when to take Barry by the shoulders and steer him back on the right course before he runs right smack into a wall. He knows how to apply band-aids, healing salve and potions for his pokémon who've gotten a few scratches when Barry has invariably taken on someone he shouldn't have.

Barry shifts from foot to foot in a constant state of nervous energy. Lucas has never seen him sit still—Barry even manages to make sleep an ordeal, at least for the person sharing covers with him. He tosses up the bottle of water, catches it. There's a bunch of vending machines over there near the corner railing. He and Barry got a few, and now Lucas pours out the water into his cupped hands to let his Luxray take a drink. 

Its tongue is rough as it laps up the water, brushing against his palms. Lucas can't help but stifle a giggle, and in doing so, the water spills over his Luxray. The Luxray lets out a little cry, and begins to shake itself vigorously. Water sails through the air, catching the sun for a single moment before he and Barry are covered in little droplets.

"I think it's about time you go back," Lucas says. A touch and Luxray is back in its ball.

Barry wipes his face off with his sleeve. It doesn't hide the big grin spreading over his face.

"This place is cool—really amazing! There's so many stores, and so much to buy—!"

Barry's like a kid in a candy shop 24/7 when it comes to stores. They'd both be broke if Barry wasn't constantly getting distracted by other, shinier things. Now they're at the top of Celadon stores, looking out at the city. 

"Yep," Lucas says, but Barry is already to the next conversation, and has barely remembered any last train of thought.

"We've come a long way," Barry says, and it's almost slow, even serious.

"Hey, that's my line," Lucas says with a smile. Barry playfully punches him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, well maybe I'll get serious and go slow just to show you," Barry says.

They stare at each other for a moment, silent. Daring the first to break into laughter. Of course it's Barry that bursts out laughing first, giving another playful punch to Lucas's shoulder.

"Haha, _pysch_! Last one down is a rotten egg!"

And with that, he's already running. Lucas knows he has no chance of overtaking him, but he also knows that Barry will always be waiting down there for him, no matter how long and where the journey takes them.


	2. Postcards from Pastoria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pastoria had changed a lot since they'd last been there.

Pastoria had changed a lot since they'd last been there. For one, the Crogunk cut out now had a Jynx companion, presumably intended to be its girlfriend. Barry had this _thing_ with cut outs. Every time he found one, he'd go towards it like a heat seeking missile, except instead of heat, he seemed to thrive on dorkiness. There was, in fact, an entire album with them posing in cut outs, where Barry always ran faster and claimed the muscley guy and Lucas always got the girl in the bikini. Now the only difference was it was of pokémon, as Barry grinned and Lucas didn't, with yet another picture with him with ridiculously large breasts. 

They parted ways at the marshes, because Barry was itching to trek through disgusting muck, and Lucas had already caught his fair share of pokémon from there. Besides, Lucas had plenty of supplies to get, so he went through his list, checking it with more care than Barry ever would. If Barry was shopping, he'd probably make a paper airplane out of the list, and then get sweets instead.

On the rack there was a picture of a little seaside vista. He bought two, and addressed them at the side of the counter, one for his mom and one for Barry's. She'd gotten pretty used to all of Barry's notes home having his handwriting. Given that she'd known him even longer than Lucas had, he figured she'd understand. He put them in the mailbox just outside, _wish you were here, hope you're having fun, your son._

It was no surprise to have Barry standing outside waiting for him, already shivering with excitement, practically hopping in place he was so wound up.

"You're too slow! I should fine you ten million yen for this!" he said.

"I don't have ten million yen, especially not after getting supplies," Lucas said genially.

"Look, look what I got!" Barry said, already forgetting whatever conversation which had become before. It was a common trait of his, one which Lucas had gotten used to through the years.

Barry held up a camouflage ball. A bundle of tangled vines came out of it. It let out a chirp of its name.

"Nice catch," Lucas said. He bent down, and scratched its head. It didn't draw back, so he figured it must've had a nature that matched its trainer's.

"You read the pokédex entry, right? There's only one thing left to do!"

Barry bent down and made his hand almost like a claw, then he began to tickle the Tangela. First it began to shudder, its cries sounding like laughter, and then it began to roll about, back and forth as Barry cooed _cooochie cooochie cooo!_ at it, tickling it all the way.

They gained some notice from a pair across the way, including some curious looks from their Pikachu. But Barry, as always, never noticed when he was drawing a crowd. He was rarely embarrassed, leaving Lucas to soothe whoever he had offended, and be embarrassed on his behalf.

This time, however, Lucas wasn't embarrassed. This time he was smiling, amused at Barry's antics, and his newest little friend.

Barry looked up abruptly, which gave the Tangela chance to finally stop spasming in laughter on the ground and hop up.

"I think I should call it Squishy," Barry said.

"Squishy?" Lucas asked.

Barry plucked up the Tangela and hugged it close to his chest. " _Squishy,_ " he said. The Tangela made little chittering sounds, obviously quite happy with the attention.

"Huh, I should go show Squishy to Master Wake!" Barry said. He got that bright look in his eyes,   
like Crusher Wake was just the coolest, most handsome awesome person ever. And then he was off, with Squishy in tow.

Lucas sighed and pushed himself up. He drew a line with his shoe in the dirt. "Nice to see you, Lucas. I'm happy to travel with you, Lucas. You're awesome, Lucas. Thanks, Barry. You didn't need to mention it," he mumbled.

Barry hadn't looked at _him_ like that. He was just old friend Lucas, the one who got him out of all the trouble and ensure he ate well and took care of him.

But then, there was Barry peeking around the edge of the door. 

"Come oooooon, it won't be the same if you're not there when I show Master Wake! Besides, we gotta hurry so we can make it to that mansion place, I hear their gardens are really cool, and we get to fight maids!"

"I'm coming!" Lucas said, smiling despite himself. 

Barry didn't look at anybody else like that, like he trusted Lucas and didn't want to be without him. Like he only wanted to go off on stupid adventures and take tons of pictures of them tubing down the beach, water pokémon in tow.

"What, are you being stupidjealous again?" Barry said. "You totally have that stupidjealous look."

Lucas rubbed at his cheek. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. "And that isn't even a word!"

"Nu-uh. It is now, because you made it so," Barry said.

Lucas just shook his head. There were times—more often than not—that there was no reasoning with Barry. Except, it was rarely a problem as Barry would forget about whatever it was approximately two seconds later.

Barry took one look at the gym, with its twisted water puzzle, and the grin went right off his face.

"I forgot about that," he said. "Forget it, that's way too much work. I'll show him later. Let's go get lunch, last one there pays!"

And then Barry was bounded out, his Squishy letting out happy cries at the speed. Man, those two were well matched. Lucas took his time going out, leaving the water gym behind. He always ended up paying, but he never really minded.

He walked on towards the restaurant, enjoying the faint whiff of salt on the air from the beach road they'd came from. You could just catch the sounds and scents of the sea from here if the wind was blowing the right way. They were all opposites, Lucas a quiet thinker to Barry's absence of thought, his desperate fast paced life. He was the one who kept Barry from running headfirst into walls, or falling into the hole he never saw because he was always looking ahead.

And he could just see it now, Barry tapping his foot, frustrated and impatient, but quickly turning to forgiveness and a bright smile. Lucas didn't hurry himself as he walked on; Barry did enough hurrying for both of them.


	3. Tiny Dancer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even when he wasn't battling, Lucas tried to let out his pokémon whenever possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This keeps Diamond from Adventures eating habits, because it's adorable. 
> 
> Kirlia: _If its Trainer becomes happy, it overflows with energy, dancing joyously while spinning about._ \- Platinum Pokédex.

Even when he wasn't battling, Lucas tried to let out his pokémon whenever possible. If it meant he was walking through Hearthome city with a giant Tyrannitar following close behind at his heels, then so be it. And really, it'd only been mistaken for Godzilla about to rampage the cities once or twice. Today, it was Kirlia he let out. It pirouetted with happiness, nearly tipping over right into one of the ponds of Pokémon Mansion. Lucas sat back and smiled. It was a warm day, with only a faint drifting through the many gardens. The ponds faintly rippled, and a Goldeen surfaced for a moment before disappearing back into the water.

In the reflection of the pond, he could see the Kirlia hopping about, the reflection of upside down sky like the Distortion World.

"This isn't far from where I caught you, now isn't it?" He said.

Kirlia let out a happy cry.

"It's like coming home," Lucas said.

"Coming home to where?"

Lucas turned to see Barry rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Barry's bedhead hair looked about the same as usual, just even more mussed messy. He let a long yawn. 

"What gives? I woke up, almost ran into a maid and you weren't there," Barry said.

"You overslept again," Lucas said. 

"Yeah, well...probably. It was a long night. I fought five maids in a row!" He yawned again. "Hey, what's up with your Kirlia?" Barry asked.

Lucas looked over, and saw that his Kirlia was spinning so much that it looked like it might take off, flying into the air like a little ballet helicopter. If it'd been happy before, it was positively jubilant now. In fact, it was the happiest Lucas had ever seen it.

Lucas shrugged. "It's happy to be home. It sort of looks like you, now."

"Whaaat? I'm not wearing a tutu!" Barry said.

"Because it's hyper, silly," Lucas said. He playfully punched Barry's arm.

"Yeah, well, I'm too tired to defend my title of ultimate hyperness," Barry said. He raised his arms and yawned again, and then fell-leaned into Lucas, until they were both falling and sprawled out on the grass, laughing like idiots.

For a moment Barry got this _look_ his face, completely mischievous and the sort of look that usually got them rushing into trouble. Then he was sneaking his hands under Lucas's shirt with a _tickle tickle!_ Lucas was trying to get away, laughing so hard he could barely breathe as Barry thoroughly tickled him. He was kicking his legs, getting the back of his shirt extremely grass stained in the process. 

"Ow, you kicked my shin!" 

"Hybarry uses tickle attack. It's super effective," Lucas said, his voice comically flat.

"Wait, wait, _Hybarry_? That can't be my pokémon name, _Lucasducas_ ," Barry said.

"Lucasducas? That's not even trying!" Lucas said. 

Barry rolled off him, a look of determination. "Okay, we'll decide this once and for all."

"You're obviously an electric type with that hair. You look like a Jolteon," Lucas said.

Barry playfully stuck out his tongue. "Yeah, well you'll be Lucasmunch, the unknown evolution of Snorlax with the way you eat!"

"Lucasmunch uses tackle attack," Lucas said. And he did, until they were rolling about in the grass, laughing even more between playful bouts of tussling. Eventually they're both on their backs, staring up at the sky. His Kirlia is dancing up a storm near them. Thankfully, not literally as the day remains clear and beautiful.

"There has to be a reason it's like that...I'll check my pokédex," Barry said.

He reached down to his pocket, and then let his hand fall back into the grass.

"Oh yeah, I never got one. I keep forgetting," Barry said.

"It doesn't need a reason to dance, does it? It's happy, and that's good enough for me," Lucas said. He stretched, and Barry suddenly pushed himself up.

"Hey, you wanna get food? I hear the mansion guy is going to be serving up food for the trainers," Barry said.

"Who's the Snolax evolution now, _Hybarrymucy_ ," Lucas said.

"Hey, I'm a growing boy! And look at how much energy I'm going to use up _racing you to there_!"

And without warning, Barry was pushing himself up and racing off. Lucas shook his head, a big grin on his face as he pushed up and followed.

In the gardens, Kirlia danced and danced.


	4. Ho-Hum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had spent entirely too much time in Solaceon town, and one Rapidash riding and roping contest later, Barry had picked up on the lingo a little too much for his own good.

"Well, we best get goin', partner," Barry tipped his cowboy hat and moseyed off. They had spent entirely too much time in Solaceon town, and one Rapidash riding and roping contest later, Barry had picked up on the lingo a little too much for his own good. Lucas knew he probably should've been more annoyed about this than he was, but for one, it being Barry, this random whim would probably last all of five minutes before he decided to run off and do something else, like dress up like a spaceman, and two, those leather chaps kept distracting him when he wanted to speak up.

Besides, becoming a cowboy for five minutes was hardly the strangest thing Barry had ever done.

They made their way north with the ruins in mind. The thick grass meant no biking, though Barry tended to prefer running, and would even offer to race Lucas at the fastest speed. He'd come pretty close to winning a lot of the time, too.

Lucas pulled out a can from his bag and shook it, and then began to liberally spray it over himself. He repeated the same with Barry, who stepped back so fast he nearly fell into the grass.

"Ugh, what did you spray me with?" Barry said.

"Repel, to keep the wild pokémon away," Lucas said absently.

"It smells like your _socks_ , ewwww," Barry said. "No wonder the pokémon are running away. At this rate, our _own_ pokémon will run away!" 

"It's going to wear off soon enough," Lucas said. "It only lasts a hundred steps."

"I should hope so! It's like we ran into the baby of a Muk and a Stunky who rolled around in a sewer for a while!"

"So, you're saying it's _extra Stunky?_ " Lucas said.

" _Ha ha_."

"But, really, you've never used a repel? Not even once?" Lucas said, looking back to Barry. An unusual position for him. Usually Barry was charging off ahead. But it was hard to run in leather chaps.

"Nope. I just keep running. If I don't want to meet wild pokémon, I let my Rapidash out and we run together," Barry said.

Somehow, Lucas wasn't surprised. They kept walking through the thick grasses up north of Solaceon town. The sun was hot, summer at its most refined, like a pokémon had used Sunny Day.

"I'm beat," Barry said.

"Already?" Lucas said. He looked back, put at another 

"These pants are tight and weird, like I'm tied up and stuff," Barry said. He puffed his cheeks out and flopped down into the grass. The Repel had about worn out as it was. Lucas sighed, and sat down too. In the thick grass, the sun wasn't quite so bright, like they'd found some secret world of their own. When they were younger, they probably would've taken advantage of this and made a fort posthaste, but being as they weren't five anymore, and it was too hot to do anything, they just laid back.

Barry's hat had tumbled off, and his hair was even more askew than usual.

They were spread out, looking at the sky. The grass was thick against his back, tickling his his palms. Barry had a little reed of grass between his fingers, and he kept blowing against it, making sounds like a Psyduck with a migraine, and maybe some gym socks stuck in its mouth for good measure.

Lucas absently tapped one of his pokéballs and it opened up, his Altaria floating out. It would be no good to be surprised by a wild pokémon, after all.

It dove in towards Barry like a sunny summer day in bird form, its cloud wings embracing him. The grass fell out of his mouth and Barry stared up, dumbfounded. The Altaria began to make a humming noise as it nuzzled against Barry.

"Whazzat?" Barry said. "I never saw it do that before! Did I accidentally do the Altaria mating call with my grass? That'd be weird."

"Nah," Lucas said. "According to the pokédex, that means it likes you."

"Huh, I've befriended one of your pokémon," Barry said. He lifted it up and cooed at the Altaria, who happily made a sort of cooing sound back.

" _Again_ ," Lucas said with a smile.

"Call me daddy!" Barry said. The Altaria hummed some more. "Da-ddy. Daddy!"

"I hate to break in on your attempt to steal my pokémon, but what on Earth are you doing?" Lucas said.

"Well, I basically am, now. I'm its daddy!" Barry said.

"Then what am I?" Lucas said.

"Its trainer? Friend? Other daddy?" Barry suggested with a shrug.

This would usually be the point where Lucas had to input some witty remark, but honestly, he was blanking. Barry cooed some more at Altaria, and Lucas muttered to himself _well, Altaria, it looks like you have two daddies now._

Cicadas buzzed in the background, there was a warble of far off birdsong. The soundtrack to a summer, he thought. Lucas leaned back and closed his eyes, succumbing to the summer heat. Altaria spread out its cloud wings like it was reaching out to hug both of them, humming all along.


	5. Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started and ended with falling.

It started and ended with falling. They ran, or to be more precise, Barry ran and Lucas struggled to keep up, like any other day. Except this day, it was through the Eterna Forest. The leaves rustled above them, spatters of dusty sunlight fell between the arcs of branches. Barry as usual, wasn't looking where he was going. He looked back, and called to Lucas.

"Hurry up, or I'll fine you—"

Neither of them saw the large moss-covered root. They went flying one after another, and crashed on the ground. They slammed together, tangled and sore, gasping for breath with the wind knocked out of them. 

Time passed and they groaned, too stunned by the contact and pain. Lucas rolled over on his back, Barry was still staring at him with a kind of urgency he was too dizzy to try and piece together.

"—a million kisses," Barry said.

"K-kisses?" Lucas said.

"Did I say kisses, I meant....lips, er—"

In a swift move, he cupped Lucas's chin with both hands and kissed him. It was quick, more like a headbutt than a kiss. It left Lucas even more dazed, as he lay back and attempted to catch his breath.

Barry pushed himself up. "Yes! We're almost there!"

Had he imagined it all? The happy accident, filling everything he wanted but had never fully admitted, even to himself.

"Just because we're dating now doesn't mean you get to be a slowpoke. Hurry, hurry, we gotta catch the next lunch at the Pokémon center!"

"We're dating?" Lucas said.

Barry puffed out his cheeks. "How many times do I have to kiss you to make it count? A million-trillion-billion? If so, then I'll do it! Right after I beat you in a pokémon battle," Barry said. He burst into a grin.

"You're going to have to work harder than that to beat me," Lucas said.

Barry clasped his fists in a mix of determination and excess energy. "Then I'll keep working, and kissing you—maybe both at once!"

Lucas still felt confused, but that was normal around Barry. They had shifted, perhaps without him ever realizing it. Or they'd been on this path all along, falling slowly, and then with a quick, abrupt crash together until it could no longer remain unsaid and unknown. He followed after Barry through the woods at a slower, more contemplative pace. Little had changed between them, all things considered. Everything was a tangled rush, not everything made sense, but Lucas knew his life would never, ever be boring. Barry would see to that for sure.


End file.
